2FMG1H1 Sunderland players exit the pitch after the Sky Bet League One match at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland. Picture date: Sunday May 9, 2021.
Championship fixtures: Why watching and following Sunderland will change next season as new TV deal begins
Following and watching Sunderland and the Championship is set to change significantly from next season, as a new five-year TV deal between the EFL and Sky Sports comes into place. Sunderland’s second-tier fixture schedule are set to be released at 9am this morning, with all of the games from the opening weekend of the season set to be shown live.
So what’s actually changing for the new campaign and how will it impact Sunderland fans? Here, we break down everything you need to know…
What’s going to change for Sunderland supporters?
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Put simply, more games are going to be broadcast than ever before. The EFL has opted to keep in place the Saturday 3pm blackout, but there will be more second-tier games than ever moved from that slot. As part of the deal, Sky Sports are committing to broadcast five Championship games every weekend, all of which will take place outside of that Saturday 3pm window. They are also committing to showing five games across League One and Two over the course of each weekend, with all the game available either on current Sky Sports channels or via streaming across a TV and mobile platform. It’s understood that six matches will be shown in the 12.30pm slot on a Saturday lunchtime, with more shown in the now traditional Friday night and Sunday lunchtime EFL slots.
The deal will also mean that all EFL fixtures in midweek and on bank holidays will be broadcast by Sky Sports, as well as all of the fixtures on both opening day and the final day of the campaign. Around 56% of EFL fixtures will be shown across the season, up from around 13% on the current deal.
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